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MagyarAnker Solix F3800 hands-on review: The monster power station can even charge electric cars via solar power
For some time now, Anker has had a true power station monster on offer, namely the Solix F3800. Our practical test will reveal what the 3,840-Wh solar generator, which supplies up to 6,000 watts of continuous power, can do and where its weaknesses lie.
Up to 26,880 Wh capacity
The Solix F3800 from Anker is a powerful power station and is the manufacturer's top-of-the-range model, ranked above the Anker Solix F2000 (PowerHouse 767) (approx. 1,660 euros via Amazon), which we have also already reviewed. It plays in the same league as competitor models such as the Zendure SuperBase V or the EcoFlow Delta Pro, the successor to which, the Delta Pro 3, will soon be launched.
The Solix F3800 has a battery capacity of 3,840 Wh. Anker uses long-life LiFePo4 batteries which, according to the manufacturer's promise, should still reach at least 80 per cent of their capacity after 3,000 charging cycles. Of course, this cannot be verified in a short-term test. Anker promises a ten-year shelf life and gives the power station a 5-year guarantee.
If this already ample capacity still isn't enough for you, you can optionally combine it with up to six BP3800 expansion batteries, each with a capacity of 3,860 Wh. This results in a maximum capacity of 26,880 Wh, which can supply an entire household with power for several days.
Users of a power station must be aware that the specified capacity cannot be fully made use of. In our practical test, we let the Solix F3800 run until it was empty for approx. 11 hours at a time with a constant current draw of around 260 watts until it switched itself off with 1 per cent residual capacity. According to our measurement, the solar generator, which was previously charged to 100 %, provided 2,905 Wh. This corresponds to a good 75 per cent of the stated capacity.
Smaller power stations usually achieve values of 85 to 90 per cent. The rest are losses due to the conversion from DC to AC and the operation of the power station itself. As a result, the rate of the Solix F3800 isn't particularly good. However, the device is also equipped with a particularly powerful inverter that can provide a lot of power (significantly more than smaller power stations) and therefore requires a lot of energy itself.
Charges at up to 3,000 watts
As with all other competitors, energy is additionally lost when charging the Solix F3800. In practice, a full charge from 1 to 100 per cent required 4,669 Wh. This means that around 82 per cent of the energy consumed was actually used by the battery. Or to put it another way: in our practical test, we were only able to successfully reuse a good 62 per cent of the power consumed during AC charging with the power station. The rest is lost for "mobilizing" the power.
On a positive note, the Anker Solix F3800 charges quickly and in a variety of ways. The manufacturer promises up to 2,990 watts AC input. In practice, we measured an input power of up to 2,966 watts, so the manufacturer's value was virtually achieved. Of course, this was only the peak value, which wasn't present the entire time. The power decreased continuously as the charge level increased, but was still around 1,700 watts towards the end. In total, it took around one hour and 45 minutes to fully charge the battery. Measured in terms of capacity, this is a rapid charging process.
Aside from the AC charging option, the solar generator can also be charged using the power of the sun. Up to 2,400 watts are possible, which is a decent value. Two XT-60 solar inputs are available on the side of the device for this purpose. The manufacturer also includes two adapters with which three solar modules with MC4 plugs can be connected together. However, a direct connection to the XT-60 input is not possible.
The Anker Solix F3800 can be charged not only via foldable and mobile solar modules, such as those offered by the manufacturer (for example up to 400 watts of peak power with the Solix PS400), but also via stationary rigid solar panels. For example, the power station can also be used as a storage unit for a balcony power station—although in this case it isn't intended to be fed into the domestic grid and instead, the power must be drawn directly from the solar generator.
We don't want to ignore its option of charging via a 12 or 24 V car socket. However, it can only manage a maximum of 120 watts in this case, which leads to a very long charging process when fully charged—but it can certainly put a few per cent into your battery for a short time.
Covers almost all household appliances
The Anker Solix F3800 power station's stored energy is delivered via a whole range of connections. A total of six 230 V AC sockets (unfortunately without a protective cover) are installed on the side of the device. They can be used to provide an AC output of a generous 6,000 watts, and even up to 9,000 watts at their peak.
This power is enough to operate virtually all common household appliances such as tools (e.g. impact drills), household appliances (coffee machines etc.), air conditioning systems and more. The power station supplies enough energy to power several appliances at the same time. In our tests, for example, we were able to operate a drill, a vacuum cleaner, a toaster and a construction spotlight using the Solix F3800 without any problems. It supplies more than enough energy far away from power sockets and wasn't too weak in any situation during our practical test.
Under low load, it remains silent; only with longer and higher power output does the integrated cooling system kick in, creating a little bit of background noise. Even when drawing 3,000 watts over a longer period of time, we only measured a noise level of approx. 42 dB (measured from a distance of 1 meter).
A special feature of the Anker Solix F3800 is that it also has a three-pin CEE socket. This "camping connection" can be used, for example, to supply power to a motorhome via the shore power connection. Even more unusual is that the power station can also charge an electric car. There is an EV connection for this, which provides 3,000 watts. Of course, the Solix F3800's capacity can only recharge a very limited range. But it also opens up the possibility of charging an electric car using the sun, for example. If you have the appropriate solar panels, you can certainly "fill up" a few kilometers for free—especially during the summer.
All the usual additional ports are also on board. In addition to a 120-watt car socket, these also include three USB-C outputs at up to 100 watts and two USB-A outputs at up to 12 watts. This means that smartphones and other USB devices, for example, can be supplied with power directly, which is more efficient without the AC/DC conversion.
Another gimmick is its compatibility with the Anker app. This allows the power station to be managed and operated remotely via your smartphone or tablet. You can connect using Bluetooth or WLAN. The app provides even more information than the integrated display and not just an overview of the current charge status, remaining runtime and power output. Among other things, it also enables various settings (e.g. limiting the AC charging power) and the installation of firmware updates.
Pros
+ high performance and large capacity
+ charges very quickly
+ lots of connections, great versatility
+ castors and telescopic handle
+ app via Bluetooth and WLAN
Cons
– relatively inefficient
– heavy
– expensive
Verdict on the Anker Solix F3800: Power station heavyweight on wheels
The Anker Solix F3800 power station is a real heavyweight—not only in terms of its performance, but also its weight. It weighs a whopping 60 kg. Two large wheels, two small 360-degree castors with locking brakes, two solid handles and an extendable telescopic handle (which all allow the device to be rolled easily) make transportation easier. Nevertheless, handling it remains laborious.
On the other hand, this solar generator enables countless possibilities. 6,000 watts and a 3,840-Wh battery capacity are a real statement, even if we could only make use of a rather weak 3,000 Wh during our test. This means you can easily survive a short power cut. Or there is plenty of power available for you to use if you're away from a power grid.
At the end of the day, all of this comes at a price. The recommended retail price for the Anker Solix F3800 is US$3,999 and it can be purchased via online retailers such as Amazon.
Transparency
The present review sample was given to the author by the manufacturer free of charge for the purposes of review. There was no third-party influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review.
